USA TODAY NETWORK, today published the findings of “Poisoned Cities, Deadly Border,” an unprecedented investigation of pollution on the border and its effects on people’s health and environment, presented in a new, innovative digital design. Journalists at The Desert Sun in Palm Springs began the project in late 2016 to examine the polluted New River, which flows from Mexicali across the border into the United States, and ultimately uncovered widespread pollution in the region’s air and water. Their research intersected with the digital journalism power of USA TODAY NETWORK to create new forms of storytelling.

The research for "Poisoned Cities" involved analysis that linked government records from Mexico and the United States, encompassing years of work. The investigation of the New River found that the pollution — in the water, air, and all around the region — is linked to the rise of industry in Mexicali, where factories manufacture products that supply Mexico and the United States. The pollution is linked to high rates of respiratory illnesses and deaths, but the system of regulation in Mexicali does little to regulate factories or punish polluters.

To highlight the different aspects of reporting, the “Poisoned Cities” project is broken down into four segments: “Where air can kill,” “An industrial takeover,” “A toxic river” and “A dumping ground.” The findings are being shared with an innovative approach to audience navigation based on options for time – one minute, five minutes, or full article – and catered by media preference including videos, interactive graphics, photography and 360/virtual reality. This new digital design allows for a matrix of experiences to bring the problems at the border into focus.

“This project is border focused, but universal in human toll and drama,” said Greg Burton, who was executive editor of The Desert Sun when “Poisoned Cities” began and now is the executive editor of The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. “I am so proud of the collaborative effort by teams from The Desert Sun, The Arizona Republic, and USA TODAY NETWORK to shed light on this issue that is affecting so many lives.”

"This is a large, multifaceted project, and we wanted to allow our audience to engage with the content in different ways and of their choice. This was important to us in sharing this compelling and complex story most effectively,” said Reid Williams, senior director, USA TODAY NETWORK Storytelling Studio.